Brussels [Belgium], September 15 (ANI): Concerns are being raised by activists from around the world over the rising number of abduction incidents in Pakistan. Notably, several of these abduction incidents have happened with minors, which highlights the terrible condition of human rights in the country.
In a strong condemnation of such incidents in Pakistan, the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), Jamil Maqsood, released a press statement on Saturday.
In his statement, Maqsood unequivocally condemns the reprehensible acts of kidnapping “carried out by Pakistani intelligence agencies.”
Maqsood claimed, “Numberous children from various areas of Rawalpindi have been abducted in recent months and years, a horrifying reality that has once again exposed the depths of Pakistan’s human rights violations, particularly under its oppressive occupation.”
“These abductions, carried out by state intelligence agencies, represent a grave and intolerable escalation of the state’s disregard for human rights and international law. The deliberate targeting of children, who are the most vulnerable members of society, for political purposes is not only a blatant violation of our fundamental rights but also a gross moral transgression. It is an act of cowardice and cruelty that cannot and will not be ignored,” he added.
He, on behalf of the UKPNP and the Kashmiri diaspora of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), rejected the abhorrent policies and the continued assault on the people’s dignity and freedom orchestrated by Pakistan’s defence forces and intelligence agencies. He throughly urged for an immediate cessation of these criminal activities and the unconditional release of all abducted children. The Pakistani authorities must cease these illegal tactics, which aim to suppress the voices of Kashmiris through fear and intimidation, he said.
Kidnapping of Saad Haroon, son of Raja Yousaf Haroon, who is serving as Additional Session Judge in PoJK; Tabish Zafar, a three-year-old Kashmiri boy kidnapped from Kahuta, and Arslan Zubar, from Rawalakot, who was kidnapped from Islamabad, are living examples of these illicit activities of Pakistani intelligence agencies, the UKPNP leader said.
Maqsood, while referring to the most recent abduction of a minor witnessed in Rawalpindi, stated, ” This latest atrocity also underscores the broader issue of Pakistan’s occupation of PoJK, where fundamental rights are routinely denied, and any attempt to speak out against the injustices is met with severe repression. Our people continue to suffer under a regime that has no respect for the rule of law, justice, or human decency.”
According to the UKPNP leader, “We can no longer trust Pakistan’s internal mechanisms to provide justice, as they have proven time and again to be complicit in these human rights violations. We, therefore, call for immediate international intervention to protect our children and safeguard the basic human rights of Kashmiris. The international community, including the United Nations, human rights organisations, and foreign governments, must take decisive action to investigate these kidnappings and hold Pakistan accountable for its continued abuses.”
The leader also urged that it is imperative that international human rights observers are allowed into these regions to assess the situation and ensure the safe return of the kidnapped children. Furthermore, they must also guarantee that such heinous acts are never repeated.
“Pakistan must be held to account under international law for its actions, and the international community must stand with us in demanding justice. We demand that our fundamental human rights, including the right to life, liberty, and security, be fully respected and upheld by Pakistan. Our struggle for dignity, justice, and freedom will not be silenced by these reprehensible tactics” Maqsood added. (ANI)
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